Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

Bio

A fistful of intangibles

Posted on January 30, 2014 by David McKee

A produce warehouse and a fistful intangibles. That’s what Joseph “Tomato King” Procacci says will enable him to get his casino proposal up and running six months ahead of any rival bidder. Touting his ‘juice’ in the community, the Tomato … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cordish Co., Cosmopolitan, Greenwood Racing, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Tomato King Procacci, Tribal | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 30, 2014 by David McKee

“There’s regulations. There’s dogs. There’s integrated resorts. There’s taxes. There’s slots. There’s the compact. There’s decoupling. There’s injury reporting [for greyhounds]. If you take all those pieces of the puzzle, they don’t snap together that easily.” — Florida state Sen. … Continue reading →

Posted in Florida, Politics | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Bounty at Sands, Caesars

Posted on January 30, 2014 by David McKee

Yesterday wasn’t a bad day to be Las Vegas Sands, which reported a 19% increase in net revenues. Sands Cotai Central (up 61%) led the parade, which also prominently showcased Venetian Macao (+36%) and Venelazzo (up 25%, driven by a … Continue reading →

Posted in Culinary Union, Current, Harrah's, Macau, Maryland, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Bounty at Sands, Caesars

Now everybody wants it

Posted on January 29, 2014 by David McKee

Like a Smith College student ‘experimenting’ with same-sex dalliance, the Massachusetts Lottery wants experimental online gambling, with a view toward possible for-money play somewhere down the road. “[I]in the interests of preserving and protecting the Lottery, we simply want to … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Delaware, International, Internet gambling, Macau, Massachusetts | Comments Off on Now everybody wants it

Showdown over Philadelphia

Posted on January 29, 2014 by David McKee

“We need to offer something more than a casino,” said Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board member Gregory Fajt at yesterday’s hearings, at which The Provence and Hollywood Casino made their cases. The Provence promised to be something and Hollywood, almost defiantly, … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Current, Economy, Isle of Capri, Kentucky, Penn National, Pennsylvania | Comments Off on Showdown over Philadelphia

Revel: Has Loveman gone insane?; East St. Louis gets the shaft

Posted on January 29, 2014 by David McKee

You’d think Caesars Entertainment had its hands full with four active casinos in Atlantic City and the defunct Atlantic Club Hotel. But no, CEO Gary Loveman is reported to be considering a bid for $2.6 billion Revel Resort, which Caesars … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, Illinois, Missouri, Racinos, Regulation, Revel | Comments Off on Revel: Has Loveman gone insane?; East St. Louis gets the shaft

Another thousand slot machines

Posted on January 28, 2014 by David McKee

Penn National Gaming — sort of a “favorite son” candidate for a Philadelphia casino — is first up in presentations to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board for the fifth Philly-area casino license. Bart Blatstein‘s and Isle of Capri Casinos‘ $700 … Continue reading →

Posted in Cordish Co., Economy, Greenwood Racing, Isle of Capri, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Tomato King Procacci | 2 Comments

Foxwoods shows persistence & other Case Bets

Posted on January 28, 2014 by David McKee

Foxwoods Massachusetts is back and going all in with a proposal for a $750 million facility in Fall River. This means there is finally a heavyweight contender for the southeastern regional license — albeit a company that voters tossed out … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Election, Foxwoods, Harrah's, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Marketing, Massachusetts, Ohio, Racinos, Texas, Tribal | 1 Comment

Momentum builds in Japan

Posted on January 28, 2014 by David McKee

We’ve been hearing about the U.S. casino companies that want to build megaresorts in Japan, as that company gears up for the 2020 Olympic Games. That’s all well and good. But major forces in Japanese industry are putting some elbow … Continue reading →

Posted in Foxwoods, Harrah's, Horseracing, Japan, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Tourism | Comments Off on Momentum builds in Japan

No fun in Florida; Playing it safe in Illinois; Big flush at Borgata

Posted on January 27, 2014 by David McKee

Gov. Rick Scott (R, left) doesn’t want any gambling-expansion talk cluttering up his reelection bid, spoiling the fun for the rest of us. So no racinos, Naples or Palm Beach, no new gambling offerings, Seminole Tribes, and no destination resorts, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Election, Florida, Genting, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson | Comments Off on No fun in Florida; Playing it safe in Illinois; Big flush at Borgata

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 27, 2014 by David McKee

“It is irrelevant to us . . . that other applicants have projected, or that they have used exceedingly aggressive assumptions. Our policy is to tell it like it is, not to embellish numbers.” — Cordish Gaming Managing Partner Joe … Continue reading →

Posted in Cordish Co., Economy, Mohegan Sun, Pennsylvania | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

D-Day in Philly; Al Sharpton’s casino-boss buddy; Angst in Maine

Posted on January 27, 2014 by David McKee

It’s death-grapple time in Philadelphia, where five competing proposals will be aired for the final time before the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. Even a supporter of casino expansion in the city, like Jeffries LLC‘s John Maxwell, concedes there will be … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Cosmopolitan, Entertainment, Greenwood Racing, Maine, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, The Strip, Tomato King Procacci, Tourism, Tribal | Comments Off on D-Day in Philly; Al Sharpton’s casino-boss buddy; Angst in Maine

Getting serious in Massachusetts; i-Flop in Delaware

Posted on January 27, 2014 by David McKee

A drive to repeal Massachusetts‘ casino-enabling legislation has got Bay State operators-to-be taking it very seriously. They’ve filed with the state Supreme Court to have it stricken from the state ballot. (The state’s attorney general, Martha Coakley, pictured, has already … Continue reading →

Posted in Cannery Casino Resorts, Delaware, Election, Illinois, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Regulation, Slot routes | Comments Off on Getting serious in Massachusetts; i-Flop in Delaware

All stories lead to Massachusetts

Posted on January 24, 2014 by David McKee

Since it faces no competition in western Massachusetts, it was mostly theater when MGM Resorts International CEO James Murren presented the project to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. The latter will have months in which to mull the enormous volume of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off on All stories lead to Massachusetts

IGT disappoints, GOP hesitates

Posted on January 24, 2014 by David McKee

International Game Technology reported 1Q14 results that were great, if you read the Las Vegas Review-Journal,  and disappointing if you read Wall Street analysts. Profits were up 21% — but revenue growth slowed to 2%. Social gaming was credited with … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, IGT, Internet gambling, Politics, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on IGT disappoints, GOP hesitates

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 24, 2014 by David McKee

“As we look ahead in 2014, we see limited reasons for near-term optimism for a rebound in regional gaming markets given continued bouts of severe weather and the tepid economic recovery, which has been even more muted in the regional … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Wall Street | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Wynnside Wynncore

Posted on January 23, 2014 by David McKee

If you’re registered on the guestbook at Wynn Las Vegas or Encore you are an invitee to “our new Wynn Insider program. As a Wynn Insider you will be the first to receive information about our resort and you’ll have … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Harrah's, Marketing, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Wynnside Wynncore

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 23, 2014 by David McKee

“After a 2011 survey showed an increasing proportion of low-income gamblers playing with ever-larger sums, [Singapore] decided to prohibit entry by the unemployed, people on welfare and people who have filed for bankruptcy protection.” — the New York Times, carrying … Continue reading →

Posted in Problem gambling, Singapore | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Palmetto State stalemate; Wynn strikes again

Posted on January 23, 2014 by David McKee

Back in 2005, the State of South Carolina, bowing to the inevitable, legalized cruise-to-nowhere gambling ships that operate out of Palmetto State ports. Now the Catwaba Indian Nation hopes to leverage that legislation into VLTs for itself. The state says … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Churchill Downs, Harrah's, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Kentucky, South Carolina, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on Palmetto State stalemate; Wynn strikes again

The importance of being Steve Wynn

Posted on January 23, 2014 by David McKee

How can you pitch a multi-billion-dollar casino in largely extemporaneous fashion, bereft of glossy renderings or a video fly-through. By being Steve Wynn, that’s how. His pitch to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission seems to have been less about touting the … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Foxwoods, Genting, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Rhode Island, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on The importance of being Steve Wynn